Florida Panthers vs Minnesota Wild Prediction, 12/18/2021 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Florida Panthers vs Minnesota Wild

Date: Saturday, December 18, 2021

Location: Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN

TV: Bally Sports North

Cam Talbot and the Minnesota Wild (19-8-1) host the Florida Panthers (18-6-4) at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday.

The Florida Panthers were on the losing side of the ice with a 8-2 loss against the Senators in their last contest. Florida amassed 21 minutes in the box in this game. The Panthers left a lot to be desired in terms of their offense in this defeat. They also had 6 opportunities with more players on the ice but weren't able to convert one of them into a goal. In the matchup, they tallied a score on 2 out of the 35 shots they put on goal.

Florida Panthers opponents have amassed 88 power play tries (8th in hockey) and have come away with 18 goals in those chances. The Panthers have had 863 shots tried against them and have a save percentage of .906. Florida has attempted 1,010 shots and holds a shooting percentage of 10.1%. While at even strength, the Panthers have surrendered 63 goals while getting 86 as an offensive unit. Florida skates onto the rink with 91 power play opportunities and they have tallied 16 goals out of those advantages, giving them a percentage of 17.58%. For the season, they have recorded 40 points and their points percentage is .714. In terms of their goal scoring prowess, the Florida Panthers have racked up 102 goals (3rd in pro hockey) this year and have surrendered 81.

The man in net for this game is Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky has participated in 556 contests over the course of his professional hockey career. He has accumulated a record of 309-182-47 and he started in 542 games. Opponents have racked up 1,361 goals against Bobrovsky in his professional hockey career and his goals against average per game is 2.55. Bobrovsky has seen 16,304 shot attempts taken against him and has garnered 14,943 total saves. He has a save percentage of .917 for his 32,006 minutes between the pipes. From the beginning of his pro career to now, Bobrovsky has compiled 307 quality starts and his quality starts rate is .566.

In their last game, Minnesota opposed the Golden Knights in a game where the Wild took a loss by a mark of 6-4. They had 6 power play chances in this outing and recorded 1 goal out of those opportunities. The Wild scored 4 goals out of the 27 shots on goal they took.

Minnesota has attempted 931 shots (10th in hockey) and has earned a shooting percentage of 11.06%, while allowing their opponents 889 shots. They have recorded a penalty kill percentage of 81.00% on their opponents 100 opportunities on the power play, and their save percentage comes in at 90.9%. They have a total of 92 chances on the power play and they have earned a power play percentage of 17.39%. The Wild have tallied 87 goals at even strength and 16 goals (18th in the NHL) while having more men on the ice. They have allowed 81 goals to be scored by way of 62 goals at even strength and 19 goals while they had less men on the ice. This season, the Minnesota Wild have a total of 103 goals, 39 points, as well as a points percentage of .696.

On the other side of the ice you are likely to see Cam Talbot in the crease. The opposition is averaging 2.61 goals per game and he has surrendered 920 goals overall. Talbot's rate of quality starts is 53.1% and he has made 188 quality starts in his hockey career. He was named a starter in 354 games and has been on the ice for 21,117 minutes. Talbot is the owner of a career record of 184-136-30 and has been in net for 368 contests. He has compiled 9,949 stops out of 10,869 shots taken against him, which gives him a save percentage of .915.

Who will win tonight's hockey game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take Minnesota

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